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Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several families in Soroti district have resorted to fishing in swamps citing food shortage. The residents trek long distances with their children to swamps for fishing.
Although group fishing is common in Teso during the dry season, some residents interviewed by URN said they are forced to take their children and spend much time in the swamps looking for fish due to food shortage.
Some of the residents blame the food shortage on locusts and water logging that devastated their crop gardens over the past two years leading to loss of sweet potatoes, cassava, beans, soya beans and sorghum.
Salume Akwango, a resident of Katine sub county says they are currently depending on fishing and vegetables because getting food is a nightmare.
Robert Ewaku, another resident says that some of them have ended up chasing their wives due to the economic hardships.
Petua Alupo, 26, a mother of five in Katine sub county in Soroti is one of those who went with her children fishing.
She explains that most men spend their time drinking local brew ‘Ajono’ leaving women with children suffering without food.
Joyce Apila, a widow in Soroti who spends her day fishing says that she sometimes sleeps on an empty stomach when she fails to catch fish.
Julius Omiro is a father of eleven children. He told URN that he left his children with sweet potatoes thinking that he would take them some fish, but by 3pm, he had caught nothing.
Although most of the affected residents are asking for food relief like maize flour, beans and tarpaulins among other items, Omiro only prays for rain to return so that he cultivates his food.
Henry Herbert Obale, the Soroti Assistant Chief Administrative Officer says they haven’t received any formal reports about the food shortage from sub-county authorities.
George Michael Egunyu, the Soroti district LC 5 chairperson says people in Teso often look for fish between October and March each year.
He said it’s also possible that there is food shortage but the district is yet to get the reports from the sub-counties.
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